BEC in the News

Butte Environmental Council''s RARE Program adapting educational campaigns to be virtual learning

Letter to the editor thanks Butte Environmental Council's Annual Cleanup volunteers

Butte Environmental Council partners with Urban Forester on City of Chico Urban Forest Revitalization Project for climate benefits and justice

Local partnerships and collaboration on urban forest health, local food security, and environmental justice between Butte Environmental Council, City of Chico - Parks Division, and Butte County Local Food Network.

On Wednesday, Butte Environmental Council hosted a listening session designed to educate the community about the role housing plays in climate change, while allowing discussion to examine the possible solutions.

The forum on Housing and Climate Change, hosted by BEC, brought together a variety of community members with the goal to talk about housing with a focus on climate change and to brainstorm more creative solutions for housing after the Camp Fire.

Does Chico need more restrooms for homeless people, especially in Bidwell Park? Chico's Scott Grist, BEC Vice chair, takes the "pro" position while Jeff Glatz takes the "con."

"California Water Stories" is the focus of the third annual In Focus Film Festival in Chico on Sunday, November 10, 2019. There will also be information tables set up by the Butte Environmental Council, AS Sustainability, Altacal Audubon, Certified Neighborhood Habitats and the City of Chico Sustainability Task Force.

"One of the problems that happened when the fire came through is that it created compounds in the lines themselves that have now rendered the water in the lines and in the area undrinkable," Mark Stemen, Board chair of BEC, said.

The Chico Green New Deal was release: to make sure the city of Chico's grid is 100% clean, electricity-run by 2030 and to be climate neutral by the year 2045, with the intentions of reaching both of those goals earlier…actions will be taken to achieve these efforts by the end of 2026. While the New Deal doesn't do everything that Brown wants it to do for tenants specifically, a listening session making the connection between housing and climate change on Wednesday at the Butte County Oak center hosted by the Butte Environmental Council.

BEC board chair, Mark Stemen, tabled at Chico State's Sustainability day to,"let people know, academically, in the literature, civil disobedience is the one thing that works. Non-violent civil disobedience works over all forms of resistance, and it's been proven through history."

Pleasant Valley High School students got to spend a class period in the library talking to BEC board members who helped facilitate conversations about climate action. They were asked to consider actions that could be taken in the community, even at home or in school and how people might get more involved.

The mural was done by Chico-based illustrator and muralist Wyatt Hersey and people were invited to help paint it. The room where the mural was painted will not only be used to conduct the business of the organization but also as a community space where others can come to host meetings. The interactive mural featured many of Butte County's natural features and animals.

Students protested Thursday outside Meriam Library, using buckets as drums, smoke masks, and their voices - to raise awareness about climate change. Mark Stemen was protesting alongside the students and said that they wanted to bring attention to the issue to the public.

Students of all ages and community members gathered for the Chico Climate Strike where they demanded a change in legislation and encouraged others to take action in the fight again our changing climate. At the strike, there were also a variety of tables and booths promoting sustainable practices including the Butte Environmental Council

Chico and Oroville volunteers were part of the 60,000 people throughout California that spent Saturday morning picking up trash. Oroville focused on beautifying areas along the Feather River, while Chico cleaned up Bidwell Park and local creeks.

With Chico population now over 100,000, that would make 500 volunteers half a percent of the population. Though the numbers were as strong as they have been in the event's history, BEC wants to do better in the years to come. "In future years I'd like to explore the possibility of expanding it to Saturday and Sunday and potentially reaching 1,000 people," said Danielle Baxter, General Manager for BEC.

The council adopted an ordinance to create a Climate Action Commission and also chose to reconsider its usage of pesticides. The commission will be made up of seven council-appointed members, whose main task will be to advise the council on how to best implement the city's Climate Action Plan (CAP). Mark Stemen, the board chair for BEC said, "A lot of people are concerned about climate change and they feel like there's nothing that can be done," he said. "Now, those concerns … have a place and a process to be realized. So we can get to 100 percent renewable energy, we can get to a livable planet."

The 32nd annual Bidwell Park and Chico Creek cleanup attracted close to 500 volunteers with tons of trash, literally, removed from Bidwell Park and local creeks, according to BEC.

The task force is retiring after meeting its original goal for reducing emissions by 2020. It will be replaced by a standing committee for climate action. A new goal has been set to try to reach 40% reduction of all emissions by 2030, in order to hopefully reach neutrality by 2050. "I would add that so many people feel there's nothing we can do about this," Mark Stemen said. "To that I would say … the city is doing something. I believe through our work we could get to 100% renewable energy to this town by 2025."